Otis Moss Jr. facts for kids

Otis Moss Jr. was born on February 26, 1935. He is an American pastor, a thinker (theologian), a speaker, an author, and an activist. He is well known for his important work in the Civil Rights Movement. He was also a close friend of both Martin Luther King Jr. and his father, Martin Luther King Sr.. Otis Moss Jr. is the father of Otis Moss III, who is now the pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

Growing Up and School

Otis Moss Jr. is African American. He was born and grew up in LaGrange, Georgia. He was the fourth of five children. When he was 16, he became an orphan.

College Years

He earned his first degree from Morehouse College in 1956. Then, he got his Master of Divinity degree from the Morehouse School of Religion in 1959. At Morehouse, a wise teacher named Benjamin Mays guided him. Mays also guided Martin Luther King Jr.

While at Morehouse, Moss helped lead peaceful protests called "sit-ins." These actions fought against segregation, which was the unfair separation of people based on their race.

Further Studies

He continued his studies at the Interdenominational Theological Center from 1960 to 1961. In 1990, he earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary. There, he learned from Samuel DeWitt Proctor. He also became friends with Jeremiah Wright, who was a pastor at the famous Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. Wright was also the pastor for Barack Obama. Later, Otis Moss Jr.'s son, Otis Moss III, became the main pastor for Wright.

His Work and Ministry

Moss became a pastor at Mount Olive Baptist Church in LaGrange in 1954. He led that church until 1961. For some years, he was also the main pastor at Providence Baptist Church in Atlanta.

Fighting for Civil Rights

From 1961 to 1975, he pastored Mount Zion Baptist Church in Lockland, Ohio. During this time, he was a leader for Martin Luther King Jr.'s group, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. This group worked to fight different kinds of unfair treatment and segregation.

He also marched for civil rights in Selma, Alabama with King. They became very close friends. King even performed the wedding ceremony for Moss and his wife. In 1971, Moss spent a year co-pastoring Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta with Martin Luther King Sr..

Leading a Big Church

After leaving Mount Zion in 1975, he became the pastor of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church in Cleveland. This was the largest black church in Ohio at the time. He led this church for 33 years before retiring in 2008.

During his time there, he continued to be a popular speaker. He was also an important person in movements for social justice. He advised President Jimmy Carter. He also became friends with famous people like Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and Jesse Jackson. In 1997, Moss worked with University Hospitals to create the Otis Moss Jr. Medical Center. Ebony Magazine often named him one of America's most important black preachers.

Awards and Recognitions

Otis Moss Jr. has received many awards. Some of them include:

• The Candle in Religion Award from Morehouse College.
• The Role Model of the Year Award from the National Institute for Responsible Fatherhood and Family Development.
• A Leadership Award from the American Jewish Committee.
• The Human Relations Award from Bethune-Cookman University.
• A Lifetime Achievement Award from the Cleveland Clinic.

Speaking Around the World

Moss has always been a popular speaker. He has given talks at hundreds of colleges and churches all over the world. This includes places like the Oxford Roundtable at Oxford University and the Lyman Beecher Lecture Series at Yale University. He has also spoken at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. He has given speeches in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Jordan, Israel, and South Africa.

His Family Life

Moss has been married to his wife, Edwina, for over fifty years. They have three children: Kevin, Daphne (who has passed away), and Otis III.